Jane Harper uses crime writing to conduct a detailed exploration of people and how they operate as humans. In the wake of the natural disaster, Evelyn Bay was left to pick up the pieces both physically and emotionally. The small town was leveled not only by the high winds and torrential rain of the storm but also by the grief of losing three of their residents, all young and in the prime of life. Though Bronte’s death in the present timeline is not brought about by a historic squall, the grizzly crime leaves the town reeling as if they have been battered once again by a torrential tempest. As the residents process the tragedies of both the past and the present, the author explores the different ways those affected experience and process the events giving a highly personalized view of grief and trauma. In a tight-knit community forced to interact with each other, the variable ways individuals deal with trauma can lead to heightened levels of emotion and potential conflict.

The author displays a marked distinction in the grief process between those like Kieran and the Gilroys who left Evelyn Bay and those who stayed like Brian and Verity or Trish Birch.